How much processed food do you eat?

I wouldn’t say I’m a total health fanatic, but I do like to pay attention to what I’m eating and I try to make healthy choices.  At a family reunion this weekend, I started asking myself questions about how much processed food we eat.  It all started when blue Kool Aid was on the menu for the kids. I don’t usually buy alot of sugary drinks like this, but I figure it’s ok to have them on special occasions.  It didn’t bother me that much for a one time thing but then I looked at their cups at the end of they day and guess what?  They were completely blue.  Maybe the dye stuck to these cups more because they were organic based, but it got me thinking about all of the chemicals, dyes, and processed stuff we consume on a daily basis.  What does that really do to us?  There are alot of different theories, studies, thoughts about this, but can this really be very good for us?

I decided it would bve fun to keep a food journal for a week and see how much processed food I’m eating.  Would you join me? On one column list foods that have an ingredient list of 3 or less.  Most of this stuff would be fruits and veggies, beans, and other whole grains.  In the other column write down the other foods you eat that are processed.

  I’m going to do this too and I will report back and let you know what I came up with.  I’d love to hear about your food lists and thoughts about this.  I know it is a challenge to stay away from processed foods because it is so easy to grab and accessible, but I also know the more whole foods or natural foods we eat, the better!